Ripper



Nov. 17, 1942. LE TOURNEAU v 2,302,614

RIPPR Filed Aug. 18, 1941 2 SheetsSheet 1 INVENTCR. G.Leourneau 5ATYORNEYS Nov. 17, 1942. R. G. LE TOURNEU 2,302,614

RIPPER Filed Aug. 18, 1941 2 Sheet-Sheet 2 INVENTR.

R.G. Le7burneau A TTORNY5 Patented Nov. 17, 1942 RIPPER Robert G. LeTomeau, Peora, 111., assignor tu R. G. Le Tourneau, Inc., a corporationApplication August 18, 1941, Serial No. 407,292

4 Claims.

This invention relates to ground ripping implements or rooters; myprincipal objects being to provide a single-tooth implement ofthis.character s constructed that a greater concentration cf weight isobtained over the one tooth, giving it excellent ground penetratingpowers; one in which the frame is arranged and the tooth s0 mounted thatthe implement may be pushed or pulled along the ground when inoperation; and one provided with interchangeable draft attachments,making it capable of being connected to a two-wheel tractor of the typeshown genrally in my Patent No. 2,189,072, dated February 6, 1940, or toa conventional endless track or similar tracter.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the implement, detached from the drafttractor and with the supporting wheels lowered, and the,near side armand wheel removed; the fully raised position of said wheels beingindicated in dotted fines.

Figure 2 is a rear end view of the implement.

Figure 3 is, an enlarged view of the tooth detached.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of a draft yoke for connection to thetongue,when the implement is to be attached to a two-wheel tractor,

Figure 5 is a side elevation of a rear-end bumper for the ripper.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawings, the frame of the implement comprises a long heavy tongue I ofrectangular cross section, providd at its f orward end with a draftattachment for connection with a tracter. For a conventional tractorsuch attachment comprises a plate 2 removably secured on the tangue bybolts 3. The plate projects ahead of the tongu'e and supports a swivelcoupling unit 4 of standard type adapted for attachment to the usualdraw-bar or clevis on the tractor. For a two-wheel tractor, theattachment comprises a plate 2a drilled for securing on the tongue bythe bolts 3, and hav1ng an upstanding c-yoke 5 rigid theiewith andprovided with vertically spaced ends for supp0rting enggement with thecooperating and correspondingly spaced elements on the tracter.

A heavy tooth 6, curved lengthwise of the tongue.to its lower end, isprovided with a re- :nions 12 at its ends.

tongue adjacent its rear end and beingremovably secured by nuts 9 whichact to clamp the fiat top edge of the tooth against the correspondingfiat bottom surface of the ,tongue. The tooth being considerably narrovver transverSely of the tongue than said tongue, transverse bars 10 aresecured on the tooth at the front and back at the top and engage theunder side of the tangue to give stability to the tooth against lateraldeflection and taking some of the strains off the studs. By reason ofthis removable mounting of the tooth it may be easily removed forreplacement or repair when necessa1y.

Secured on and extending transversely of the a tongue a short distanceahead of the tooth is a cross beam Il having laterally projecting trun-Side arms [3 are pivoted intermdiate their ends on the trunnions, beingrigidly connected at their upper end by a hollow cylinder l4 whichimparts great stiffness to the arm unit and which may be filled forweight if desired. Attheir lower end these arms support wheels [5 whichare disposed laterally out from the arms. The length of the arms belowthe trunnions is such that when the arms are sub stantially vertical,the tooth is raised well clear of the ground, as shown in Fig. 1, fortransportation. The arms are also arranged relative to the trunnions sothat when the upper portions of said arms are swung forwardly so as tobe substantially horizontal, the wheels clear the lower edge of thetongue, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. In this manner the tooth maypenetrate for its full height into the ground without interference.

The swinging of the arms, to determine the sheaves of the blocks,forming a block and tackle' unit, and extends th ence downwardly andforwardly between the arms l3 under the cylinder and about adirection-ciranging pulley 20 mounted on the forward side of the beam ll, andthence to a power unit on the.draft trnctor; A pull on the cablethus pulls the arms up and lowers the wheels relative to the tongue, theweight of the tongue and of the upper portion of the arms relative totheir lower portion and wheels causing the arms t swing forwardly ofthemselves and rel2tively rais'e the wheels when the cable is slacked.

The tongue, cross beam, post-and arms are of solid steel, so that a verygreat weight is concentrated on the tongue. This not only givesexcellent penetrating powers to the tooth, but enables the implement asa whole to withstand very heavy strains and to be t hus used underconditions which ordinary rippers could not cope with.

' Since the tongue is very rigid and can withstand i1y seen that I haveproduced such a device as substantially fulfilis the objects of theinvention as set forth herein;

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preierredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, whatI daim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letter s Patent is:

1. A ground ripping implement including a tongue, adapted at its forwardend for connection with a draft means, a tooth having a slope toward itslower end in a direction lengthwise of the tongue, the tooth at the topbeing fiat and relatively'long lengthwise of the tangue, a pair ofcentrally disposed studs rigid With and upstanding from the toothadjacent the ends of the top thereof and removably projecting throughthe tongue and nuts on the upper end of the studs clamping the fiat edgeof the tooth against the under face of the tongue.

2. A ground ripping implement including a tongue, adapted at its forwardend for connection with a draft means, a tooth narrower than the tonguedepending therefrom, means removably securing the tooth on the tongueand relatively long crossbars on and rigid with the tooth at the topspaced lengthwise of the tongue and engaging the underface thereof.

3. A ground ripping implement including a tongue, adapted at its forwardend for connection with a draft means, a tooth depending from the tongueadjacent its rear end, wheels disposed Iaterally out from the tongueadjacent its rear end, a cross beam rigid with the tongue adjacent itsrear end, normally upstanding side arms pivotal1y supported intermediatetheir ends from the beam and on the lower end of which the wheels aremounted, a cross member connecting the arms above the beam, the portionof the arms above the pivot tending to swing forward and down of theirown weight whereby t0 mise the wheels relative to the tongue, and meansto pull said arms in the opposite direction.

4. A structure as in claim 3, in which said last named means comprisesan upstanding rigid post on the tongue behind the cross beam, and ablock and tackle connecting the post and the arm cross member.

ROBERT G. LE TOURNEAU.

